Blind-stop



, UNITED STATES PATENT OrFrcE.

THOMAS T. BEEBE, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

BLIND-STOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 441,464, dated November 25, 1890.

A Application filed June 7,1890- Seriel No. 354,572. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

zen of the United States, residing at the city and county of Albany, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Adjusting and Looking Roller- Slats in Blinds, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in arrangements for locking the slats of a blind, or adjusting them to any desired position in the path of their movement.

The objects of my invention are to provide a simple and inexpensive catch or look, by means of which the slats in a roller-slat blind may be held firmly and securely in any desired position in the path of their movement, and an attachment by means of which the upper and lower tier of slats may be operated at the lower portion of the blind. I attain these objects by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my invention attached to a roller-slat blind. Fig. 2 is a section along the lines 1 1 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section along the lines 2 2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the plate. Fig. 5 shows the manner of connecting the blind-rod with the locking device. Fig. 6 shows the connection between the slat-rod of the upper with the slat-rod of the lower tier of slats. Fig. 7 is a front elevation showing the locking device embedded in the lower stile of a blind. Fig. 8 is a section along the lines '33on Fig.7.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

To the lower stile A of a blind I secure the plate B. About midway between the sides of the plate B, I cut the longitudinal groove 0, and on the upper surface of the plate B and on each side of the groove 0, I place the upwardly-projecting flanges D, said flanges D having their upper portion extending over said groove on the plate B a short distance, forming a partial cover for the opening in the plate, and having their under surfaces d of the part extending over the groove 0 serrated. Immediately over the groove 0 in the plate B and beneath the serrated surfaces of the flanges D, I place the spring E. The

, spring E is usually a thin piece of steel se-. Be it known that I, THOMAS T. BEEBE, a citicured to the plate B at each end of the groove 0. Between the two flanged pieces D, I place the shank of the fork F, provided near its end farthest from the fork-tines with outwardlyprojecting lugs f, which operate along the serrated surface of the flanges D, pressed against by the spring E. At the extreme end of the shank F, extending backward and downward from the shank, I place the short lug or heel L. Secured to the end of the shank F and extending above the same I place the knob K, by means of which the fork is operated. At one end of the shank F, I arrange the tines T, having near their ends the pins t, extending toward each other. The tines T are placed on each side of the slat-rod R, the pins t en gaginga with the slat-rod R near its end. (See Fig. 5.

The reciprocating movement of the fork F causes the blind-slats to open and close, as shown in Fig. 2. The serrated surface of the flanges D alfords a means for locking the fork, since the spring E will press the lugs f, attached to the end of the shank of the fork F, into the corrugations and hold the fork in the position it then occupies until released by pressure being ibroughtto bear upon the knob K. The reason for having the heel or lug L extend downward and backward from the end of the shank of the fork F is that when the slats are to be closed it is necessary that the fork should extend inwardly at an acute angle to the plate B, which will be accomplished by the pressure of the spring E against the heel L, having a tendency to force the tines of the fork T toward the slats of the blind. I usually construct the shank of the fork F slightly curved in form, as shown in Fig. '2.

It is sometimes desirable to have the looking device embedded in the blind-stile. For the purpose of accomplishing that result I show in Figs. 7 and 8 my invention thus secured to the blind. In that case the sides of the plate B. extend slightly over the opening or groove 0. The lugs foperate in connection with the corrugations in the serrated surfaces, as already described.

For the purpose of connecting the upper tier of slats with the lower, in order that they may both be operated simultaneously and by means of the same mechanism, I place the connecting-bar P, provided at each end with a thimble U, which fits around the end of each of the slat-rods, one connected with the upper and the other with the lower tier of slats. As thus connected, it is apparent that the movement of the lower tier of slats will necessitate a corresponding movement in the upper tier.

It is apparent that by means of my invention the slats in a roller-slat blind may be closed and locked, making it impossible to open them from the outside, and preventing the slats from rattling when exposed to the wind. The slats may also beheld in any desired position in the path of their movement and retained in that position until changed by the operator.

My invention is simple and inexpensive in construction, easily operated, and does the work required of it in a satisfactory manner.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

surface, all substantially as described, and for the purposes set forth.

THOMAS T. BEEBE.

\Vitnesses:

FREDERICK W. CAMERON, WALTER E. WARD. 

